McDowell sets sights on major

Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell believes he is a future Open champion.

The Portrush golfer finished as top Irishman at St Andrews yesterday after a final-round 67 earned him the clubhouse lead on six under for a couple of hours.

His position would have been much better had he not had a quadruple-bogey eight at the 17th on Saturday but nevertheless it was still his best finish in a major, St Andrews being his fifth.

Despite not having much luck the 25-year-old feels his game is approaching its best and he has designs on an Open title, particularly one at St Andrews where he equalled the course record 62 last October.

“I had a good week and really do enjoy the golf course. I am looking forward to future Opens – this is one I certainly feel I can win, that is for sure,” said McDowell, who finished eight shots behind winner Tiger Woods.

“I am just waiting for that week when I can string together four rounds of golf and it is going to happen soon.

“I am just optimistic in general. I am playing well and I am excited about the next few months.

“I know I can hole putts and my short game is getting a lot better. I am heading in all the right directions and I have got a good schedule ahead of me so I am looking forward to it.”

Yesterday McDowell went out in level par after a birdie at the par-five fifth cancelled out a three-putt at the third. He came home in just 31.

McDowell’s birdie run started at the 12th where he holed from six feet and at the next he dropped one from 40 feet.

Another six-footer at the par-five 14th took him to four under before a rolling 20-foot effort at 16 was followed by a two-putt birdie at the last after driving the green.

Darren Clarke had a disappointing day with a one-over 73 which put him back to five under.

The Ulsterman had seven straight pars before he dropped a shot at the par-three eighth only to claim it back immediately at the next to get back to six under by the turn.

Four holes in regulation were then followed by a bogey at the 618-yard 14th to drop the Ryder Cup star back to five under. He then parred his way home, missing a three-foot putt on the last for birdie.

Dublin’s Paul McGinley had a difficult week and, just when it looked like he would sign off with an impressive final round, he double-bogeyed the par-four 17th to finish one under par for the tournament.

The Ryder Cup star was five under for his round through 16 holes when he hit it in the infamous Road Bunker and was left with an impossible lie right up against the face.

He chipped out backwards but had no fourth shot to the pin and finished with a third successive double-bogey six at the hole, having birdied it on Thursday, leaving him five over for the 17th this week.

To compound his misery he then missed a short birdie putt at the last and finished with a 69.

“My form has been poor. I have played poorly since the PGA (now the BMW Championship, back at Wentworth in May when he led on the final day but bogeyed two of the last three holes to lose to Angel Cabrera).

“There are peaks and troughs in a season and I am definitely in a trough at the moment.”